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Anti-Cable High Frequency Performance

I've just installed a set of anti-cables in my bi-wired system with Magnepan 3.6 speakers. I find the bass and mid-range nice and tight and the overall sound very balanced, smooth, and natural. The soundstage is very good.

But I notice that the high end is not as extended as my previous cables (good quality oxygen free heavy gauge copper strand). There's less detail in the upper end.

I did twist the anti-cables as directed in the instructions to get as much high end performance as possible.

I like the natural sound but I miss the high end definition.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Or, does anyone have any advice about alternative cables at the same price?

I should say that I am very impressed with the overall quality of the sound. This is not an anti-anti-cable post. Just trying to tweak it some more.
selmeralto
11 responses Add your response
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,922 posts
 
Cables are very system and listener dependent, as we all know. You hear what you hear. Don't try to fool yourself.
ggeers222
37 posts
 
Stringreen, you mention bass that shakes the house... I failed to mention that upon adding the anti-cables, the bass I'm now hearing from my Maggies now delivers a sledgehammer-like impact when called for, and has reached a depth I never knew these speakers were capable of... Solid-core wire to a woofer is almost like being attached via bus bar straight from an amp. Tried these cables upon a friend's recommendation since I figured for the price I had nothing to lose (thought the high-dollar cables I'd been using for years couldn't be beat), and it turned out to be one of the most valuable changes I've made to my system.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
I cant understand why anyone would prefer anything else. In my system the highs are as clean and clear as I've ever heard. The cables are extremely natural with a supurb soundstage..very deep, very wide. The bass when required, shakes the house but with pitch and definition. Ive said this before, but, I tried almost everything out there including the highest priced spreads from the most prestigeous manufacturers, and nothing is as good as the anticables.
ggeers222
37 posts
 
Using bi-wired anti-cables sans termination (bare on all ends) and also twisted per Speltz guidelines with a KT88-based tube amp and Magnepan 1.6QR speakers - the resulting sonics are absolutely gorgeous.
vanbruce
1 posts
 
I like the anti-cables better without the termination. The bare wire sounds better for me.
tbonedeluxe
38 posts
 
I've got a couple of sets of anti-cables. While everything seems system dependent, I think you'd be nuts not to try them. They work wonders in my system. More transparent, very widerange, and much less 'there'. For the price you can always send them back or sell them, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'm using them to bi-amp my VR2's with an NAD M25, and they've never sounded better.
selmeralto OP
2 posts
 
In the interests of fairness I should say that I have discovered a mistake I made while installing the anti-cables. I had accidentally hit the bridge switch on one of my amps while installing them. That was why the sounds got garbled. I put the put the switch back to the unbridged position. The anti-cables now sound very good. Sorry for the misleading post.
kevine
38 posts
 
I have a set of these cables that I have used with a four amp system. When I first received them, the cables sounded really nice, but then I went and replaced the 14 gauge amp power cords with 10 gauge cords, which extended the bass, I lost the last bit in the highs--the speakers sounded muted. I replaced the cables going to the high frequency drivers with a lower 18 gauge generic cable, actually stripped some old audioquest cables down, pulled out two of the wires, made my own cables, and have my highs back again. I left the ant-cables going to the low freqency drivers alone and am very happy with the set up.
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
i have a twisted pair of the anti cables. there is no loss of treble extension at all. if anything, there is too much treble emphasis.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
I still have a set in my office system. I think they sound JUST OKAY at the very best. Very little on the bottom and top end...

Just another bunch of cheap cable hype... you can do A LOT better...

O

o

.
goingbroke
10 posts
 
I had the same problem with them. But I wasn't as impress with them are you are. In the end, I went back to some standard cables.
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